Boat Maintenance

Keep your cruising boat and gear working well with these suggestions for routine maintenance and simple fixes.

Watering Boat Batteries the Easy Way

Published on July 2, 2021; last updated on June 27, 2021 by Carolyn Shearlock

To keep wet cell boat batteries in good shape, you have to water them. Don’t do it the hard way. Try this. [More] Watering Boat Batteries the Easy Way

How to Maintain Your Boat Zippers

Published on April 16, 2021; last updated on April 19, 2021 by Carolyn Shearlock

Cruisers rely on zippers onboard—on wetsuits, biminis, sail covers, and more. Here’s how to keep them working. [More] How to Maintain Your Boat Zippers

How to Use Rescue Tape on your Boat

Published on March 5, 2021; last updated on February 19, 2021 by Carolyn Shearlock

From stopping leaks to filling in for missing engine parts, Rescue Tape has a ton of uses. [More] How to Use Rescue Tape on your Boat

How to Keep Boat Parts from Seizing

Published on October 2, 2020; last updated on November 11, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

Boat parts, from clamps to water pumps, can get stuck. Unless you do this first. [More] How to Keep Boat Parts from Seizing

Carburetor Troubleshooting

Published on April 11, 2020; last updated on April 7, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

A guide to the five most frequent signs of carburetor trouble, the underlying trouble, and how to fix each one. Most don’t require a new carb! [More] Carburetor Troubleshooting

Polish Your Fuel The Easy Way – DIY

Published on March 13, 2020; last updated on March 16, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

You don’t have to pay someone else or wait. Polish your own fuel. It’s easy with a few pieces of useful equipment. Here’s how. [More] Polish Your Fuel The Easy Way – DIY

Replace Your O-Rings

Published on January 3, 2020; last updated on December 29, 2019 by Carolyn Shearlock

The key to boat maintenance is to catch problems before they happen. Learn about one tiny part that can cause big trouble if you don’t replace it. [More] Replace Your O-Rings

Engine Winterizing – a Primer

Published on December 31, 2019; last updated on December 23, 2019 by Nica Waters

How and why we flush our diesel engine with anti-freeze each year. [More] Engine Winterizing – a Primer

Seeking Used Boat Parts?

Published on November 29, 2019; last updated on November 25, 2019 by Carolyn Shearlock

You can save money and time when searching for the used boat parts you need. Here’s a search tool that helps. [More] Seeking Used Boat Parts?

Clean Your Boat’s Bottom Yourself!

Published on October 25, 2019; last updated on October 21, 2019 by Carolyn Shearlock

Cleaning your boat’s bottom can be a real pain if you don’t have a plan and the right tools. Learn how to DIY the right way. [More] Clean Your Boat’s Bottom Yourself!